Absorbent disposable articles are typically produced by taking a web of material from a storage reel and moving the web past a number of devices which perform different operations in sequence, such as placing absorbent bodies on the web, laying-out elastic, applying glue, applying further webs of material, compressing absorbent bodies, and heat-welding or ultrasonic-welding devices, and so on. In production of this nature, the production line has been traditionally constructed as one single unit. In recent times, production development has accelerated within this particular technical field, necessitating comprehensive reconstruction of the production lines. However, production lines of unit construction are less suitable for reconstruction and as a result, it has taken much too long to introduce new or modified products onto the market, and it has often been necessary to refrain from making small improvements to existing products, because of the radical changes in the production lines that such an improvement would occur, while, at the same time, the long nonproductive times caused by such reconstruction would prevent the demand of such products on the market being met, resulting in loss in profits and, in the longer term, perhaps also a loss in the share of the market.
The European Patent Application No. 93850174.9 teaches a production line for the manufacture of absorbent disposable articles which overcomes these drawbacks to a great extent. The various working devices of the production line are carried by mutually identical module plates which can be mounted in any desired position in a framework which extends along the production line. This design greatly facilitates reconstruction of the production line, while enabling the production line to be radically increased by adding further working devices thereto, without needing to make large modifications.